Jacob Dalager, D.M.A
Dr. Jacob Dalager is an international soloist, recording artist, award-winning composer, and Assistant Professor of Trumpet and Jazz at New Mexico State University . Prior to joining NMSU, he was based in the Washington D.C. area and on faculty at The Catholic University of America, Frostburg State University, and Frederick Community College, teaching trumpet, jazz performance, theory, and history, music theory and ear training, and American popular music.
A versatile crossover musician, Jacob was lead trumpet of the Wammy-award-winning bands Black Masala and Sham
Dalager made his U.S. concerto debut in 2016 with the Austin Symphony Orchestra and returned 2019 with his original composition, 3ɟutures . Prior to that, he soloed with the Jesselton Philharmonic, Te Deum Chamber Orchestra, and the St. Olaf Band and Orchestra. ans of Sound . He is a jazz freelancer and has performed at the Singapore International Jazz Festival and World Youth Jazz Festival; with James Morrison and Kitaro; opened for John Legend; and recorded with the Thomson Big Band.
Jacob was principal trumpet of the Washington Chamber Orchestra and has been a guest with the National Philharmonic, Rochester Philharmonic, Symphoria, Singapore Symphony, National Taiwan Symphony, and Malaysia Philharmonic Orchestras, among many others. As a chamber musician, Dalager led the Parkway Brass and M-Street Brass Quintets in Maryland.
Allan Kaplan, Ph.D.
Allan Kaplan, Ph.D. is the Trombone Professor at New Mexico State University, where he also teaches courses in music education, orchestration, history of jazz and improvisation. Dr. Kaplan's education included Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Manhattan School of Music, and a Ph.D. in Music Education from New York University. Presently he is Principal Trombone of the Las Cruces Symphony and a member of the El Paso Brass Quintet. From 1975-1989 he was Principal Trombone of the Oklahoma Symphony Orchestra. Previous to that position he performed in Broadway musicals, as Solo Trombone of the Goldman Band, at Lincoln Center, and was a member of the New York Brass Choir. In addition, Dr. Kaplan has a strong background as a public school music educator. He has represented NMSU as a clinician and performing artist throughout Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada and California.
Dr. Kaplan has recorded on the Angel label with Maestro Herrera de la Fuente, on the MENC video series "The Worlds Greatest Music", on various labels with the Goldman Band, with the Light Fantastic Players, and with Richie Havens.
In the commercial field he has performed with artists such as Lena Horne, Burt Bacharach, Sammy Davis, Jr., Henry Mancini, Mel Torme, Cher, The Oak Ridge Boys, Peggy Lee and Sarah Vaughan. In 2006 he was a member of the Orchestra at the Mendocino Music Festival in Northern California. In 2001 Kaplan was invited to NYC with the Creole Trio, to an audition for the State Department's Jazz Ambassador program. Look for Dr. Kaplan's chapter on the trombone section in the jazz band in the recently published "Jazz Pedagogy: The Jazz Educator's Handbook and Resource Guide" by Warner Brothers, edited by Dr. Willie Hill Jr. He is a member of A.S.C.A.P. and a clinician for Edwards Instrument Co. For more information on Dr. Kaplan visit his website.
Jazz Clinicians
Josh Carter, saxophone
Josh Carter is a tenor saxophonist from Alamogordo, NM. He studied music at New Mexico State University and graduated in 2016. He finished his Master's degree at SUNY Purchase College in New York in 2021 where he studied with the great baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan. He is currently playing gigs around the Las Cruces/El Paso area.
Dr. Christian Chesanek, bass
Dr. Christian Chesanek is a bassist, composer, arranger, educator, freelance musician, and luthier in the El Paso, Texas region. Dr. Chesanek’s previous education consists of a Commercial music degree from the University of Texas at El Paso under Erik Unsworth, a MM in Double bass performance from Ithaca College under Nicholas Walker, and a DMA in Jazz studies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln under Dr. Hans Sturm. He has worked with internationally acclaimed artists such as Francois Rabbath, Mark Dresser, Michael League (Snarky Puppy), Hakon Thelin, Victor Lewis, Donny McCaslin, Joel Quarrington, and Lynn Seaton. Dr. Chesanek is currently an educator in the El Paso Independent School district as a 5 th grade orchestra instructor.
Miguel Torres, piano
Miguel Torres, an El Paso native, moved to Las Cruces in 1999 to pursue a degree in Computer Science. During his time at NMSU he played in the Jazz Bands, Marching Band, and the Roadrunner Revue Pep Band. He grew up playing in his family band, La Ritmera Garcia composed of his grandparents and aunts and uncles.
Since then, he has played with various groups in the area: Footprints, Border Jazz Quintet, Border Jazz Orchestra, Soledad Canyon Quintet, Derrick Lee Trio, Lush Life Quintet, and many more Jazz combos and ensembles. He is keeping the family tradition alive by playing in the group, UnLyshed. Miguel has also played with Play Me-The Music of Neil Diamond and Remember Then-A Class Act.
Miguel leads the Worship Team at Sierra Vista Community Church. He is also the husband to a talented saxophonist and teacher, and father to an up and coming vocalist, a drummer in training, and a blossoming dancer.
Brian Wright, drums
A ppreciated for his deep sense of musicality, tastefulness, and creativity on the drum set and in his compositions, Brian Wright has been somewhat of a musical chameleon, performing and recording with ensembles spanning across a wide spectrum of genres from swinging straight ahead jazz to experimental avant-garde improvised music to mainstream pop and rock. As a freelance session musician, Brian has recorded on over 50 albums, soundtracks, and television commercials.
He holds a master’s degree in jazz studies from California Institute of the Arts, where he studied with renowned jazz drummer Joe La Barbera, bassists Charlie Haden and Darek Oles, guitarists Larry Koonse and Steve Cardenas, avant-garde trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith, pianists David Roitsten and Alan Pasqua, and others. Brian also holds a bachelor's degree from Washington State University, where he studied with saxophonists Geof Bradfield, Horace Alexander-Young, Greg Yasinistky, percussionist Dave Jarvis, pianist Charles Argersinger, and others. Having performed and adjudicated at jazz festivals and universities, Brian has recorded in studios throughout the U.S., including work with Grammy Award-winning producers and engineers.
From 2012-2017, Brian was a recording and touring member of pop band Pure Bathing Culture, where he toured throughout North America and Europe as a headlining act as well as opening for internationally-recognized bands. In 2022, Brian relocated to New Mexico, where he has been a guest artist, clinician, and part-time instructor at New Mexico State University where he teaches drum set lessons and leads a jazz combo. Most recently, Brian performed with New York trumpeter Terell Stafford and UK-based pianist Raffy Bushman for the 2022 NMSU Jumpstart Jazz Festival.
Abel Mireles, saxophone
Mexican-American saxophonist Abel Mireles is rapidly gaining a reputation as one of the most promising saxophonists of his generation in the New Jersey and New York area. He has also developed a unique voice as a composer and as an arranger, concentrating his efforts on perfecting a fine mix between Mexican American Folkloric Music and Jazz. A graduate of the esteemed jazz programs of the University of Texas at El Paso (undergraduate) and William Paterson University where he received his Master’s degree in Jazz Performance. Abel had the opportunity to study with jazz legendary pianists and Grammy award-winning directors of the program such as Bill Charlap, Cecil Bridgewater, James Weidman, and Armen Donelian. Along with some of his mentors and saxophonists Rich Perry, and Vincent Herring.
Born and raised in Cd. Juarez, Chihuahua Mireles will release his first solo album as a leader in 2022. He produced and arranged the album: Your Way by Candice Reyes Quintet (2018) featuring seven-time Grammy-nominated and renowned bassist Christian McBride. As a sideman, he has worked with jazz luminaries such Ray Chew at "Showtime at the Apollo", working with artists such as Christian McBride, Bell Biv DeVoe, Brandy, Anthony Hamilton, Naturally 7, Otis Redding III, Vernon Reid, Sonia Sanchez, Valerie Simpson, Dionne Warwick, Leela James, Bebe Winans, Paul Shaffer, and many more.
Abel has been featured on national TV work for NBC under the musical director and producer of Ray Chew for "Christmas at Rockefeller Center" working with artists such as John Legend, Martina McBride, Auli'i Cravalho. Along with "Showtime at the Apollo" Also performing in iconic and historical theaters and clubs in the New York City area such as Carnegie Hall, The Apollo Theater, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola Jazz Club, Smalls Jazz Club, Smoke Jazz Club, City Winery, B.B. King Blues Club & Grill NYC, among others both as leader and sideman. Abel has toured the southwest region. Mexico and the U.S., and has given clinics at universities such as Western New Mexico University, UACJ (the University of Juarez in Mexico), UTEP (University of Texas at El Paso), and perform at venues such as The Outpost Performance Space in New Mexico as well as to open the Festival de Jazz Chihuahua in 2013 and 2014.
Aside from his professional musical career, Abel is one of the two founders of the mission-driven organization called THE JAZZ EXCHANGE, which is committed to building communities through music. The JAZZ Exchange is a minority-led organization by Abel and his wife Candice, who has gained recognition in the Tri-State area and internationally. In 2019, Saxophonist Abel Mireles and trombonist Peter Lin formed Yardbird Entertainment to help bridge the gap between the new jazz audience and the young professional artists. Both jazz musicians decided to combine their resources and over 10 years of expertise to create one of the leading jazz entertainment and music production companies.
